Here's the story. I caught a nasty Backdoor Virus. In the process of catching and cleaning it i lost system restore. My computer no longer has the files or program for sys rstr. Dell was nice enough to send me all the software. So no i have to re-insatll my OS to fix the problem. So how should i go or better yet the best way to go about it. Thanks In Advance for your help.....
A few questions: 1. Which windows version are you going to install 2. Have you ever done this before, or do you know anyone who has? 3. Do you have: - The Windows Boot CD - Your Windows Product Key - All drivers for your Motherboard, Sound Card, Graphic Card, Webcam and anything else what you might have?
I have Windows Xp Professional media center with sp 2 no never done this before i should have everything dell sent all the cd's Dell is going to help me today at 6 pm eastern time. theyll be calling me back to help with the procedure. they said im going to lose everything. that my computer is going to go back to the way i got it the first day. i just want to back up everything and can i back up programs that i paid for and just put them back in after the process is done with the back up.
If Dell is helping you, you shouldn't have any other problems. As for your existing data, try burning them on DVDs (if you have a DVD writer), or on CDs (if you have a CD writer), or arrange for a spare hard disk, connect it to your PC, and copy the necessary files onto it. Then remove the disk before reformatting your PC.
@chop2113 You have a couple options.... 1)If use the disc Dell gave you it is not a true Windows install disc, it just erases everything and installs windows. so yes all yuor data will be lost. 2)If you have a install cd Windows XP Prof. Media Center then you can use it to copy all the files from your old installation it a folder like "My Old Windows Data" and then it will do a clean install of windows. So then you will have a clean install of windows and all your old files on the same hard-drive. This is a good option but in my opinion not the best. best below 3)If you have another hard-drive that is large enough you can do what I believe is the best option. You could unplug the drive you have now. Install/connect the "new" hard-drive to the pc(make sure it is set as the "master drive"). Now you can install windows on the "new" hard-drive. After windows is installed set your old messed up hard-drive as a slave and boot into windows. You should be able to get all your info off it then. After you copy all the info off the old drive you can format it.
